Scan barcode
ssaba's review
5.0
For every person that rated this book 4 stars and below, I am truly surprised. And truly disappointed. That is a huge sign that you did not read it thoroughly.
For the people that are saying he is pretentious, did you read till the end of the book? I thought we readers aren't biased with our opinion and form an opinion when we gather enough information to give a meticulous review? Or am I missing something?.
If I ask you now, “how do you think the current rate of progression is in the world?” you'd probably reply with, “pretty torpid” or “not so well”. And I don't blame you.
You and I and everyone else have a pretty distorted view of our world!! It's tragic how we have such a dull perspective. And this book will show you how to change the way you look at not only the external world but how you view YOUR personal world, your life. This book will teach you many things, and I'm not exaggerating. Which is one of the lessons of the book.
By all accounts, this is a masterpiece. Every teacher, police officer, accountant, mayor, doctor, nurse, student, professor, father or mother has got to read this. This is an important read, by an important figure.
But there are some points I’d like to bring the light on. Sometimes he can be a bit confident, and it might be somewhat annoying to us readers. Although he has a right! He has information that people barely believe and when you find a truth that everyone sees is doubtful and refuse to believe, you can get a bit frustrated, as he explained in the last few pages. He can also be a bit redundant with some topics. But this doesn't even come close to the amount of awareness subsidized in these chapters.
Please give it a read. You will not regret it.
For the people that are saying he is pretentious, did you read till the end of the book? I thought we readers aren't biased with our opinion and form an opinion when we gather enough information to give a meticulous review? Or am I missing something?.
If I ask you now, “how do you think the current rate of progression is in the world?” you'd probably reply with, “pretty torpid” or “not so well”. And I don't blame you.
You and I and everyone else have a pretty distorted view of our world!! It's tragic how we have such a dull perspective. And this book will show you how to change the way you look at not only the external world but how you view YOUR personal world, your life. This book will teach you many things, and I'm not exaggerating. Which is one of the lessons of the book.
By all accounts, this is a masterpiece. Every teacher, police officer, accountant, mayor, doctor, nurse, student, professor, father or mother has got to read this. This is an important read, by an important figure.
But there are some points I’d like to bring the light on. Sometimes he can be a bit confident, and it might be somewhat annoying to us readers. Although he has a right! He has information that people barely believe and when you find a truth that everyone sees is doubtful and refuse to believe, you can get a bit frustrated, as he explained in the last few pages. He can also be a bit redundant with some topics. But this doesn't even come close to the amount of awareness subsidized in these chapters.
Please give it a read. You will not regret it.
schunter59's review
3.0
Key takeaways:
- We tend to underestimate progress in the world, with people consistently predicting downward trends;
- The vast majority of the world is now middle-income
- There are various instincts that lead us to falsity. This includes the size instinct, the urgency instinct, blame instinct, the generalisation instinct, straight line instinct.
- Rosling has had a very interesting career. Is examples span lectures to a range of organisations, academic teaching and medical work in sub-Saharan, Africa and Kerala.
I think Rosling at times can be pretty teleological; he paints a picture of continual (and fairly linear) progress. He also spends a lot of time arguing that culture is inherently shiftable but, in those sections, creeps into economic determinism.
I think this book may have been a useful corrective set the timer it was written. I still think Mary would benefit from reading it, but I think the vision that it paints of a progressively improving world in which all countries are converging on a similar path looks outdated.
fellrnr's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
5.0
A great look at things we believe, but aren't true.
joaquingilleal's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. The way Hans teaches and informs in a practical direct way exposing facts and reminding us to question things.
Every little story he tells, every example he uses helps portray a message that’s slowly sinks in.
Like he says in the book, this should be a revision book to go back to to confirm and review things.
It helps remember to always review things we already know and not take for granted things when we know similar facts. To not generalise and to be ready for change.
Every little story he tells, every example he uses helps portray a message that’s slowly sinks in.
Like he says in the book, this should be a revision book to go back to to confirm and review things.
It helps remember to always review things we already know and not take for granted things when we know similar facts. To not generalise and to be ready for change.